AS SEEN THE ON WOMAN'S EYES

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVII, 29 April 1899, Page 584

AS SEEN THE ON WOMAN'S EYES

HINTS TO OCEAN TRAVELLERS. W hen travelling by sea it has often struck me how very inappropriately many women dress, and how little they seem to realize that what looks very well on shore is quite unsuitable to a sea voyage. On board ship everything in the way of dress should be severely simple and very good. The result will then be smart and satisfactory. Multiplicity of gowns, gowns trimmed with chiffon and lace, all frippery and fussiness, are as much out of place on a steamer as they would be on horseback or when cycling. Everyone should remember that the sea air, the damp wind, the heat, and, above all, the limited accommodation of the cabins, very soon reduce to limp and draggled dowdiness costumes which would look charming in dry, warm weather on shore. I have in mind two ladies I ones travelled with. One appeared nearly every day in a different gown of the ‘garden party’ order. Consequently, in spite of the extent of her wardrobe, she was not a success. The other woman had only one blue serge skirt and a couple of silk blouses, well cut well made, and severely simple. She always looked smart and trim, and well turned out.

In planning one’s wardrobe for a sea voyage one should always bear in mind the fact that cabin accommodation is very limited, and that the hanging space available is generally more than occupied by one’s evening dress skirt, cloak, dressing gown, etc., so that an accumulation of skirts, which will only get creased and crumpled, is vanity and vexation of spirit. Another fact to remember is that a cabin always seems to accumulate a surprising amount of dust and fluff, therefore skirts should be made of materials tc which such things do not cling, especially as it is very difficult to get clothes properly brushed on board ship. For an ordinary voyage Home via Aden and Ceylon I think three costumes are ample, eked out, of course, with silk and washing blouses and two tea jackets. The three costumes I recommend are: First, a good tailormade smooth cloth coat and skirt, say, of navy blue lined with scarlet silk, which always looks well at sea. Secondly, a shore going dress, a foulard. tussore, or washing silk is the most useful, made either as a dress, oi with coat and skirt, the latter being decidedly the best for hot climates, since a coat is so much cooler than a a fitting bodice, and can be worn with the thinnest of muslin or lace ‘fronts.’ The third dress, for evening wear, should be of black silk or satin with two bodices, one with neck and sleeves of transparent lace, the other more decollete and elaborate, for wearing at dances on board. For colder weather one or other of the tea jackets could be worn with the black silk skirt, and if they are trimmed with black lace they will harmonise better with the skirt and look fresher for much longer than if the trimming is of white lace or chiffon. Tt is a great mistake to think a tea-gown a suitable costume to appear in on board a steamer. These garments look out of place, and their long, trailing skirts are very inappropriate for sitting on deck after dinner. A word of warning as to the sun may not be out of place here. When stopping at ports such as Suez or Aden, the inexperienced are apt to forget the strength of the sun’s rays, and in their interest in watching the novel scenes around them they stray from the protecting cover of the double awning with only an ordinary straw hat on their heads, nnd the result is a bad ‘sun headache’ next day. Moral: Always wear a sun hat when in port.

As regards underclothing, a fine nun’s veiling is the most comfortable material for all under garments when travelling in hot or damp climates, and it is far pleasanter and safer to wear than either linen, calico, or cambric. if one has a supply of under garments one wants to get rid of it is a very good plan to take them on board ship, as the stewardess is always happy to take possession of anything which is done with, and it is far more satisfactory thus to get rid of used articles than to have them filling one’s boxes half the voyage. As regards handkerchiefs, I have generally bought two or three dozen cheap pretty ones at a few pence each and disposed of them overboard when used. Stockings, too, can be treated in the same way. Anything is better than having an accumulation of used underwear in one’s cabin. Boots are never required on board ship, and let me warn my readers against high heels to their shoes. They look very unseamanlike, and may be really dangerous either when descending the brass-bound companions or in walking on slippery decks. For really bad weather tennis shoes or rubber overalls are the most useful. Two very nice looking dressing gowns are an absolute necessity, one of flannel or quilted silk for cold weather, and the other of thin washing silk or cambric for wear in hotter climes. As it is usual to meet half one’s fellowpassengers on one’s morning rambles to and from the bath-room, the dressing gowns should be very dressy and thoroughly well made. A lace scarf to throw over one’s hair is also very useful on these occasions. A very convenient arrangement in the cabin is to tie ribbons or strings to the handglass, pincushion, nail-scissors, but-ton-hook, or any other small articles in constant use. They can then hang by the side of the looking glass, and run no risk of being mislaid, for what is worse than having to search on the ground on a rough day for a small dropped article? The cabin bag will be greatly improved by having a small stick stitched along the top horizontally so as to keep the bag flat and open as it hangs. The two lower pockets must, of course, be lined with mackintosh to hold sponges. Apropos of sponges, it is well to remember that a good supply of toilet vinegar and lavender ammonia is very desirable for mixing with the ship’s hot water.—‘Ladies’ Field.’

DO WOMEN PROPOSE? To remark even casually to the average woman that if she is married she undoubtedly did the proposing is to receive a snapping denial. The truth of the assertion will survive, nevertheless, and that ‘she’ does the proposing all men will gravely assert. This chat was heard at a well-known club not long since: ‘Well, Jack, Mary B. knows I am in love with her, and if she gave me half a chance I would ask her to marry me. But she won’t. She keeps herself incased in engagements; says, “Oh, I’m sorry, but I promised to meet so-and-so.’’ every time I bid for an hour with her. Buit’ —between puffs —‘I guess she isn’t ready to propose yet; waiting for a new gown or some other standoff.’ Experienced devotees of the fair sex say the widows are more expert at proposing marriage than the debutante or reasonably up-to-date society girl. But the widow is a hard proposition to cope with. She feels it eminently her privilege to ‘coo’ over a man, say sweet things en passant to him, tell him he is the sweetest thing in town, make him so absolutely comfortable that he dreads renewed acquaintance with his bachelor apartments. All the time the idea of love

or marriage would cause her to laugh, as an absurdity too far away even to glance at. The widow is dangerous. She knows how to manage a man with skilful tact. If she decides to marry him she will, and he is helpless. I have in mind now a lovely home on the south side, where hospitality is king, mamma and papa fond admirers of their lovely daughter. But no man, however clever, will easily gain one hour’s conversation with Miss Betty alone, and the years dragon. She is drifting towards the over-ripe peach, era and no chance to woo the little god. The girl who plans her own affairs carefully and is a clever entertainer knows the advantage of home life to suggest the truism of the lines: ‘Will you walk into my parlour?’ Said the spider to the fly. More desirable bachelors have been made benedicts through the influence of an after-dinner cigar, shaded lamps and a grate fire than books ever tell of. A case of cause and effect. Only when a man is a thorough dunce socially will he mistake the privileged favours of a hostess for something really serious in her interest. The dividing line is exceedingly delicate, but so distinctly traced, that it is unmistakable. In chatting upon this subject with four of Chicago’s cleverest women, much was said pro and con to the argument. Finally Mrs C closed, the talk for the day by the remark, ‘Well, looking seriously at it, I guess I did propose to Jim. He had loved me long enough to be rewarded, but was too busy with his law to form the proper speech. I dressed up in his pet gown and my big hat and deliberately sat out in the moonlight with a sad, far-away glance in my eyes when I knew he was coming. He took my hand and simply said: “The weather is so lovely I wish we might have a few days by the sea before summer closes,” and in the most coy manner I said, “Let us go,” and we were married in three weeks.” ’

Who’ll dare to say that madame did not systematically take monsieur by a pleasantly conceived plan. Late in the autumn a very wellknown young woman in Chicago society, recovering from the grip, was taken to drive by an admiring family friend, also recovering from a severe illness. He remarked, ‘I cannot stay the winter out in this climate, and I plan to go to Honolulu for a month.’ She laughingly remarked, ‘Buy a ticket for two.’ He, promptly, ‘I will’ if you say now you will go as Mrs X.’ She, seriously, ‘I will do so.’ Next day a ring, engagement announced, and found them sailing away,. SORE LIPS AND CHAPPED HANDS. It is very vexing and annoying indeed to have one’s lips break out with cold sores; but, like the measles, it is far better to strike out than tostrike in. A drop of warm mutton, suet applied to the sores at night, just before retiring, will soon cause them to disappear. This is also an excellent remedy for parched lips and chapped hands. It should be applied at night in a liquid state, and well rubbed and heated in before a brisk fire, which often causes a smarting sensation; but the roughest of hands by this treatment will often, be restored to their natural condition by one application. If every one could but know the healing properties of so simple a thing as a little mutton suet, no housekeeper would ever be without it. Get a little from your butcher, try it for yourself, run into small cakes, and put away ready for use. For cuts and bruises it is almost indispensable, and where there are children there are alwaysplenty of cuts and bruises.